The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-04-23
.on,eftin0 about Draiua.,e,

sOHbtLtUO dOOut DTuiunye,
One great desideratum in all drainage is
the outlet. Be sure and have a good out
let first. Most all writers OF drainage nd
vocate the system Of o main drain and
laterals coming in on both sides this is a
good system aud drains the land perfe city,
but the system that have always thong ht
practical is to have as few 1aterals as
possible, but have all your drains as far as
practicable run straight to the outlet or
near the outlet, and have a very large tile
for few rods at the outlet. By this sys-
tenn larger amount Of water can be taken
Oft in o shorter time at q less expense;
while the water would be running across
the field in the laterals to the main drain,
by this system it would be at the outlet, as
the distance would be little further and the
fall by this system would be enough
greater to make up for the distance in the
drains. BY this system it is certainly the
cheapest, as you dispense with q long string
Of large tile, but great deal depends on
the lay Of the land; if the land is rolling in
some cases only the lateral system can be
used; but always keep in your mind the
one idea of getting the water Off as quickly
as possible at the least expense.
1t is now admitted by ail that tile drain
age ID the best-paying investment that a
farmer can have; therefore, do not slight
your work to save little money. Tile
drains, if perfectly made, will not only
last few hundred years, but will last for
all time to come. Round tile is the best,
and about the only kind used at present.
1t is economy to make your tile drains just
as they should be in the first place, and
save the expense of making them over. 1t
makes no difference at which end you COM
mence to lay your tile. / have laid them
I@t1, I.,% T -
commence of the outlet ard lay the tile as
fast as the ditch is dug, covering the tile a
few inches with clay from near the bottom
of Che ditch. keeping the upper end covered
as you leave it. Any silt or debris that
may be washed in the tile will surely be
washed out if you have graded your drain
properly, and this is one of the most i'm
portant points in making drains-to have q
perfect grade. 1t is very good way TO
have your drains leveled by an engineer
but would never lay tile in drain until
it was leveled by water. / consider water
the best leveler that can be had in q tile
drain. 1t is very often the case that you
have large stone to take out of the
bottom of the drain. In this case never
fill the hole with clay, but with stone nd
pebbles, and pound them in, and your til ,
will not sink.
Persons that have not drained any, and
are not posted themselves on drainage, are
almost sure to commence wrong. In COM
mencing they think that they will only
drain their wet lands, but after draining
the swales it has paid so well that they will
drain the high lands if they need it uhere
is plenty of land that needs no draining,
but if your land is clay it certainly needs
draining and will pay to do it; therefore it
is best to take this into consideration
when you commence to drain.
The depth of drains should run from
four 10 six feet. You have the use of your
land as deep as you drain ard no deeper;
if you drain 1t twenty inches deep your
crop roots will go no deeper; if they are
six feet deep your crop roots will go that
deep, for the reason that tile drains do
nearly as much good Of dry as they do OF
a wet season. If land is drained deep the
surplus water runs off, and the land be-
comes more porous, and the air and frosts
get deep down, and seem to raise the land
up and make it porous, 30 the plants can
send their Tootlets down deep and suck up
sufficient moisture during severe drouth.
In regard 10 the distance that drains should
be apart that depends upon the depth Of
Your drains and the nature Of your lands.
Chicago Tribune.